January Parish Council Meeting, Update and Precept Increase

Discussion over the 2017/2018 budget dominated the meeting, with the Councillors resolving to increase the precept to continue to provide the services residents need and want.

The Parish Council met on Thursday 5th January 2017.

Five members of the public attended. Councillors Harris, Pfleger, Dodge, Sharp and Kayani attended. Councillors Montgomery, Cobb, and Hearn sent apologies. Deborah Bourne attended as clerk to the Parish Council.

County Councillor Groom did not attend, but gave a written report, which the Chairman read out at the start of the meeting.

The Chairman announced the resignation of Councillor Robert Baggs and thanked him, in his absence, for his contribution.

Public Questions

Thanks given to the Parish Council for the Christmas tree. It was enjoyed by many residents, and others. The Chairman extended particular thanks to Councillor Pfleger.

Given the traffic chaos caused by the closure of Junction 16 earlier in the day, what involvement did the Council have over traffic management in relation to the ongoing works to Junction 16?

The Chairman said this was a good question, but was down to Councillor Groom, with whom the Parish Council had already raised the issue. The Clerk said she would add any updates to the Council’s website.

Shouldn’t the wreath for Remembrance, from the Parish Council, be laid on the War Memorial rather than in the Church?

The Chairman indicated the Parish Council was amenable to such a request, but it should really come from the vicar, rather than the Parish Council.

Councillor Sharp gave his Neighbourhood Watch update. There had been no known issues in the village. However, in the wider local area, there had been issues with hare coarsing, gas cylinder and diesel thefts. Councillor Sharp distributed cards about the community messaging service, and urged residents to sign up. Residents can then receive messages about policing and crime matters in their local area, by email or text. For further information, see www.wiltsmessaging.co.uk.

The Chairman also raised the issue of fly-tipping, and reminded residents that they should make sure they are using an authorised carrier when disposing of waste – otherwise they may be liable for any unlawful dumping.

The Community Field

The Chairman stressed this was an important community resource. He had checked with a local farmer, and some use of the field could commence without major expenditure. (Three grass cuts a year at approximately £50 a time, no levelling necessary). This would allow the field to be used for car boot sales, and fetes, by community organisations. At the moment, though, tractors could not access the field, so he suggested putting in a five-bar gate between the field and the Parish Hall Car Park, which would cost approximately £470 plus VAt, the cost, if agreed, to be spilt with the Parish Hall Trustees.

The meeting agreed unanimously to support this in principle.

Neighbourhood Plan

Councillor Dodge reported slow but steady progress following steering group meetings in December, and the Neighbourhood Plan is to become an agenda item each month.

Draft budget for 2017/2018

The Chairman stressed it was important to look at overall figures, rather than percentage terms.

The Clerk had also circulated a background report to Councillors, which showed that in overall terms the Lydiard Millicent precept was relatively low. She also drew attention to the possibility that Central Government would cap Parish Council precept rises next year, possibly, at 2%, so if the Council did not raise its base cost now, then it may be limited in what it can do in the future.

The Councillors then debated various options. These appeared to include-

Decreasing the precept, but it was felt residents would not benefit from the necessary reduction in services.

A 2% rise, which would not allow the Council to continue with the provision of existing services. This would equate to a 92p rise for a Band D property.

A more moderate rise, equating to a £5 rise to the precept for a Band D property, which would allow the Parish Council to “stand still” in terms of what it provides.

A 24% increase, equating to an additional £8.10 a year for a Band D property. This would allow the Parish Council to carry out the projects it had previously budgeted for, yellow lining for road near the Butts etc.

A slightly larger increase, which would allow the Clerk to provide more hours of service to the Parish. This would equate to a £14.24 increase to the precept for a Band D property, or

A much larger increase, equating to a £41 increase for a Band D property, which would allow the Council to undertake more projects and future proof it against capping by Central Government.

[Editor’s note; option paper not circulated to press/public, figures taken from notes made of oral discussion. General thrust though was to increase precept to provide additional services without drawing on reserve. The Council’s view is that the increase in absolute terms, as opposed to percentage terms, is not great.]

Councillors Sharp and Dodge voiced concern over the last option, which another councillor had likened to “only a pound a week.” The no-rise option was felt to be a “no-brainer” [i.e. not a realistic option].

Ultimately, councillors unanimously agreed to a precept increase which will see the cost to a Band D property rise by £14.24 a year.

Using savings to implement a wish list

With savings made from this year’s budget, the Chairman put forward a number of projects that could be supported. These comprise-

Bus Shelters at Forge Fields and Stone Lane (£1,500). This would benefit children waiting for school buses, and others. Councillor Sharp said he had received an estimate of £4,670 plus VAT for two shelters.

Cricket square (£2,000). This would enable the JCH field to be used for cricket, and help generate income for the 2018 season.

General Maintenance (£600). This would allow the Council to employ its own contractor to carry out tasks the Parish Steward couldn’t do, such as clearing leaves.

New Website (£1,000). It was felt the current website (a freebie) was old-fashioned and hard to keep updated.

Community field (£400).

Maintenance of telephone boxes (£1600).

The Chairman said that this would allow the Council to move forward, the list being arrived at after a meeting held at his house to sound out what residents wanted.

Telephone boxes

There are three boxes in the parish; in the Street, at Greenhill and Stone Lane. They are not in good condition, although not wrecks either. It would cost in the region of £650 to have these repainted, and they could then be maintained by locals agreeing to “adopt” them. Greeenhill residents already looked after theirs, the bell-ringers were amenable to adopting the one in the Street, and the Chairman was hopeful someone would look after the Stone Lane one.

Keep Britain Tidy Campaign

It was agreed that the annual Parish Litter pick would be on 6th March to coincide with the National Campaign.

Having received no reply to my written questions submitted prior to the meeting I was surprised to receive a joint request to help with some of the Parish Councils proposals !!!! Joke !!!!

Anyway I have informed the committee that if they join the ECB affiliation cost approximately £40 they can claim a grant of upto £4000.

If they join then they can pay into the Jewson, NatWest scheme approx £50 and they will earn £350 in spends at Jewsons which could be used for, guess what ? A gate !!!!

How about ownership of the telephone boxes !!!! Well if you don’t own them, don’t paint them because that could be considered vandalism !!!! If you must paint them BT will give you the correct paint for free and if the Parish Council do a little work you can claim free electric and difib. machines, and even grants for up to four thousand pounds !!!!

Now let me ask the Council yet again what have they done to help in stopping our property flooding because of blocked drains and watercourses ? Ummmmmmmm

How about our district signs that have been asked for ? Ummmmmmm

How about the white lining ? Ummmmm I notice the village is good, Swindon can paint the road this time of year and so can RWB, so why not in Common Platt or Tweksbury Way to Washpool junction ?

Spend savings on doing what the Parishioners need doing please !!!! and then maybe these Parishioners will contribute more to the community instead of complaining eh !!!!

All good points, Kevin. I am not quite sure how much “savings” there has been, am still trying to get my ahead around the accounts/budgets. I think it may be worth looking at these further, although obviously do not want to pre-empt anything and I am deeply conscious of my own blind spot with numbers. However, I do query whether a saving is really a saving if it has been allocated to an item one year, which was never spent because that work wasn’t done, and is then allocated again against the same work, for the same amount the next year.

Why cannot the cost of the village plan be taken from the Parish reserve? It’s a one off cost so should not really be added to the annual budget and the precept. Could it be the Parish Council is trying to push up the precept as much as they can before it is capped? What could it be that they are trying to build up cash for? Silly me – it’s that car park plan again!!

An interesting theory Graham. I have a dim and distant recollection that reserves should be either reasonably necessary for working capital or ear marked for specific projects. From recollection, there has been a large reserve for some time, which I guess gives a bit of comfort in some ways in this age of cuts and squeezing councils until the pips squeak, but, on the other hand, I have lost track of what (if anything) this was ear marked for. That may be an interesting question.

The car park continues to divide opinion, I think it fair to say.

However, I don’t think there are many people who would argue that (a) there should be transparency on this issue and (b) if there is a car park project, that it is properly managed and accounted for, and the real costs and benefits are considered and publicised.